A transgender contestant on the current season of Thailand’s Got Talent has emerged as a frontrunner and sent the blogosphere buzzing after showcasing a gender-bending vocal twist mid-song while performing on the Thai talent competition over the weekend.

An elated Bell Nuntita, who is identified as a “ladyboy” in her native land, received a stamp of approval from all three judges following the performance. And in a sign of the times, Bell’s belting has already gone. Video footage of the performance cropped up on a slew of blogs, YouTube, and entertainment news sites on Tuesday afternoon

This is the second time in a year that an Asian singing show has sent shockwaves across the Internet. In March 2010, portly powerhouse Lin Yu Chun drew comparisons to singing legend Whitney Houston after his dead-on rendition of the songstress’ “I Will Always Love You” during an audition for a spot on Taiwan’s Superstar Avenue garnered millions of hits online.